Hyundai Motorsport boss Cyril Abiteboul remains optimistic about the brand’s potential participation in the World Rally Championship next year but has concerns that are currently hindering a commitment to 2027. The future involvement of Hyundai in the WRC is a significant topic, with the manufacturer yet to officially commit beyond this year as it prepares to join the World Endurance Championship in 2026. Hyundai has been running a factory WRC program since 2014, with no long-term contracts in place for its drivers Thierry Neuville, Ott Tanak, and Adrien Fourmaux. Speculation persists about the possibility of Rally2 becoming the premier WRC class if Hyundai exits after this year. Abiteboul shared updates on Hyundai’s future before Rally Portugal, expressing more optimism for 2026 than for 2027 due to concerns over the 2027 WRC technical regulations and their impact on manufacturers’ ability to showcase relevant technology. Hyundai has yet to begin developing a car for 2027 amidst discussions on the evolving regulations to make the cars more exciting and address broader issues faced by the sport.”
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